Experian Settles Case Over
Its Credit-Watch Service

By

Christopher Conkey Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Updated Aug. 17, 2005 12:01 a.m. ET

In a case that illustrates the new pitfalls facing consumers as they try to avoid identity theft, credit-reporting agency Experian settled charges that it tricked customers into signing up for a credit-monitoring service.

The Federal Trade Commission announced the agreement yesterday saying that Experian, a unit of Britain-based GUS PLC, lured customers to two Web sites -- www.consumerinfo.com and www.freecreditreport.com -- that offered free credit reports for individuals who signed up for a free trial of a...